Sheffield leisure centre to be named after pioneering black referee Uriah Rennie
Uriah died last year at the age of 65 - he refereed more than 300 Premier League matches between 1997 and 2008.
Last updated 3rd Feb 2026
A Sheffield leisure centre will be named after the city’s famous son, football referee Uriah Rennie, who has also just been honoured with a star on the Legends Walk of Fame.
Uriah, who died in June 2025 aged 65, made a major sporting breakthrough as the first-ever black referee to officiate at a Premier League match. He refereed more than 300 Premier League matches between 1997 and 2008.
His star on the Legends Walk of Fame outside Sheffield Town Hall was unveiled at a ceremony yesterday (February 2). Afterwards, the council announced that the newly-rebuilt Springs Leisure Centre in Arbourthorne will be renamed the Uriah Rennie Leisure Centre.
Coun Kurtis Crossthorn told a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s communities, parks and leisure policy committee yesterday: “We unveiled the Sheffield Legends star for Uri Rennie.
“We also announced that the leisure centre which is replacing Springs will be named the Uriah Rennie Leisure Centre.
“It was a beautiful morning. It was great to hear from Uri Rennie’s family and how much it means to all of them.
“I think we will all look forward to seeing that leisure centre built. It will be great to see the community come together and making good use of it as he would have wanted.”
Uriah, also known as Uri, was born in Jamaica and came to live in Wybourn as a child. He was very well known in his adopted home city and beyond as an advocate for inclusivity and fairness, using the power of sport.
He served as a magistrate and was president of Hallam FC and Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association. In 2023 Uriah received an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University, where he became Chancellor last year, only weeks before his death from cancer.
Construction work on the new leisure centre is due to start late this year. It will be built on the same site as Springs Leisure Centre, which has reached the end of its lifespan, and will stay open until the new building is completed.
Facilities will include a six-lane swimming pool and teaching pool, gyms, a sports hall, a wellbeing spa, a bowls hall and a cafe. There will also be space for health and community activities.
Other new stars announced for the Legends Walk of Fame include the band Pulp, Man with the Pram charity fundraiser John Burkhill, business leader Dame Julie Kenny, boxer Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham and singer Paul Carrack.